Under the new policy, players can choose to stay in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem, but if they come out on the field they must “stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem.”

SurveyMonkey surveyed 1,795 U.S. adults online on May 24 and May 25, and found that 54% “approve” of the new policy. 43% disapprove, and 3% skipped the question. The poll has a margin of error of three percentage points.

In a followup question, the survey phrased approval differently, asking respondents if it is fair or unfair for teams to be fined when players kneel: 55% said it is fair, while 42% said unfair.

A separate question asked, “Do you think that NFL players who kneel during the national anthem are patriotic or unpatriotic?” Forty-one percent of people said that kneeling is unpatriotic, but 42% selected, “Kneeling is not related to patriotism.” Only 14% said kneeling is patriotic.

San Francisco 49ers players Eli Harold (57), Eric Reid (35) and Marquise Goodwin (11) kneel during the national anthem before a game against the Houston Texans in Houston on Dec. 10, 2017. (AP/David J. Phillip)